OTTAWA — An autistic teen was sexually assaulted in her home early Sunday morning and her mother is warning others to be on guard.

“Your house isn’t safe,” the woman said. “(My daughter) thought it was me ringing the doorbell. I forgot my keys.”

A man barged into the home and sexually assaulted the teen around 3 a.m. Sunday.

The mother was too distraught to confirm the extent of the injuries.

“She was beaten pretty badly,” she said. “It’s a long road to recovery here.”

The 18-year-old -- who is autistic and has obsessive-compulsive disorder -- had just walked home from a nearby Tim Hortons where she had met friends.

Three minutes later, the doorbell rang and she opened the door “an inch,” her mom said.

The man forced his way into the house then attacked her, Ottawa police said.

The teen kicked the intruder in the head then locked herself in the bathroom and phoned her mother, who called 911.

The mom made it home seven minutes later and police and paramedics were already on site.

Neighbours saw the man leave on foot and actually said hello to him, thinking he was a guest. The man replied by telling them to “f--- off.”

The victim was treated at hospital then released Monday.

“The CAT scan was fine and she has no broken bones,” said her mom.

Investigators couldn’t be reached for comment Sunday or Monday.

The suspect is described as Middle Eastern in his mid 20s. He stands about 5-foot-10 with a thin build and weighs about 150 lbs.

The man has short brown hair with tailored facial hair.